Paper topic and require: Myth and Place. Greek myths are often deeply connected with the geographical locations in which they transpire. (The Oedipus story, for example, is strongly linked with the mythological space of Thebes.) Choose a myth or set of myths (or legends) and examine the role that place plays in those stories. Where do mentions of place occur? What features of place are emphasized? How can we best characterize the relationship between myth and place? n.b.:For primary source material, check The Perseus Project (www.perseus.tufts.edu) or GreekMyth.org. Surname 9 Myth and Place Greek mythology was intended to be a tool to enlighten people on the environment, their connection to it, and the passing of life and time. Its connection and relationship to religion is meant to inform individuals on the origin of some of the gods and goddesses that existed in ancient times. The telling of myths, as with any ancient cultural system, was meant to educate and bring people closer to elements that would explain the occurrence of different phenomenon. In this case, myths were told for the sole purpose of enabling people live better lives, and to respect what they might not have understood. However, the presence of myths often brings about skepticism and doubt, but there is no question about the relationship between myths, their origins, and what they are meant to represent (Dowden and Livingstone 36). This paper will examine the relationship between a myth and a place it represents, and how this representation brings out an aspect of life that may not have been completely grasped. In Greek mythology, every element and aspect that surrounds human life can be explained through the different myths present. The manner in which they are explained brings into focus some of the things that individuals, even in present day, take for granted. Myths tend to imply that gods have a hand in everything that humans do, and this is evident in the fact that humans may not be entirely in control of their fates. The presence of different myths that explain the different phenomena that exist presents insight into how the world operated in ancient times. One thing that can be taken from all that is said about myths is that there will always be a connection between gods, mortals, and the environment in which all beings reside (Dowden and Livingstone 41). That being said, it is vital for human beings to preserve their environment, because it may be the only thing that ensures the survival of everyone. One of the many Greek myths whose purpose is not often overlooked is the myth of Daedalus and Icarus. Individuals often take a lot of lessons from this story, which tries to talk of the consequences that emanate from over ambition. The story of Daedalus and Icarus is one that is told whenever a lesson needs to be taught, especially on the importance of following instructions and orders. As the story is told, Daedalus is seen as an inventor in Athens, but has mi.

1. Paper topic and require:
Myth and Place. Greek myths are often deeply connected with
the geographical locations in which they transpire. (The
Oedipus story, for example, is strongly linked with the
mythological space of Thebes.)
Choose a myth or set of myths (or legends) and examine the role
that place plays in those stories. Where do mentions of place
occur? What features of place are emphasized? How can we best
characterize the relationship between myth and place?
n.b.:For primary source material, check The Perseus Project
(www.perseus.tufts.edu) or GreekMyth.org.
Surname 9
Myth and Place
Greek mythology was intended to be a tool to enlighten
people on the environment, their connection to it, and the
passing of life and time. Its connection and relationship to
religion is meant to inform individuals on the origin of some of
the gods and goddesses that existed in ancient times. The telling
of myths, as with any ancient cultural system, was meant to
educate and bring people closer to elements that would explain
the occurrence of different phenomenon. In this case, myths
were told for the sole purpose of enabling people live better
lives, and to respect what they might not have understood.
However, the presence of myths often brings about skepticism
and doubt, but there is no question about the relationship
between myths, their origins, and what they are meant to
represent (Dowden and Livingstone 36). This paper will
examine the relationship between a myth and a place it
represents, and how this representation brings out an aspect of
life that may not have been completely grasped.

2. In Greek mythology, every element and aspect that
surrounds human life can be explained through the different
myths present. The manner in which they are explained brings
into focus some of the things that individuals, even in present
day, take for granted. Myths tend to imply that gods have a
hand in everything that humans do, and this is evident in the
fact that humans may not be entirely in control of their fates.
The presence of different myths that explain the different
phenomena that exist presents insight into how the world
operated in ancient times. One thing that can be taken from all
that is said about myths is that there will always be a
connection between gods, mortals, and the environment in
which all beings reside (Dowden and Livingstone 41). That
being said, it is vital for human beings to preserve their
environment, because it may be the only thing that ensures the
survival of everyone.
One of the many Greek myths whose purpose is not often
overlooked is the myth of Daedalus and Icarus. Individuals
often take a lot of lessons from this story, which tries to talk of
the consequences that emanate from over ambition. The story of
Daedalus and Icarus is one that is told whenever a lesson needs
to be taught, especially on the importance of following
instructions and orders. As the story is told, Daedalus is seen as
an inventor in Athens, but has mixed emotions when his nephew
builds a better invention. In his state, Daedalus decides to throw
Talus off of the Acropolis so that he could no longer pose a
threat to the inventor’s illustrious image. According to the
myth, the goddess Athena turns the boy into a partridge and is
seen to fly away. After this incident, Daedalus leaves Athens.
From the above, it is clear that Athens plays a significant role
in the development of Daedalus’ character (Dowden and
Livingstone 47).
It is in Athens that individuals get to comprehend the
nature of Daedalus, his ingenuity, and also get to see a darker
side of human nature. He is seen to be jealous of people who
might be better than him in inventing things. His nephew

3. invents a saw, which he believes is better than some of his
inventions. This sends Daedalus into a jealous rage that makes
him try to kill Talus. It is also through Athens that individuals
get to think of an area that is full of individuals with talent and
gifts of invention. The Acropolis from which Talus is thrown
from is testament to the architectural prowess of the Athenians
when it comes to building things from anything and everything
available (Dowden and Livingstone 52). Due to guilt or
banishment, Daedalus leaves Athens and heads to Crete, where
he tries to rebuild his life. This may also be symbolic as a move
from one place to another often signifies new beginnings.
In Crete, he befriends the Island’s ruler (King Minos), and
his building and creative streak continues while he is there. It is
believed that while in Crete, Daedalus made it possible for the
Island to build in Knossos the Minoan Palace, which is still an
architectural site that countless individuals often visit. The
building of this palace is a reminder that a place can influence
the ingenuity or resourcefulness of an individual, and can bring
on designs that may last for long periods, even after passing of
time (Dowden and Livingstone 56). This is also the place where
Daedalus met people he felt close to, and even had relations
with that made it possible for him to have Icarus as a son. He
met and fell in love with the king’s servant in Crete, which
made him a part of the land as any other man. His designing
ways made it possible to have friends that had influence on the
land, which made him popular and loved among those who knew
him.
As his time in Crete moved on, his work could be seen and
felt through the sculptures he made in honor of the princess
Ariadne. However, during his stay, the relationship began to
turn sour because of the trickery and betrayal he carried out to
save the man the princess was in love with at the time. In Crete,
there was a mystical creature that was feared throughout the
land. Upon learning that a certain beloved hero was in love with
his daughter, King Minos ordered that Theseus be thrown into
the labyrinth, which was considered the creature’s living

4. place/prison. This place served many purposes for the king in
Crete. He would use this prison as an avenue to imprison his
enemies, and would ensure their death. The presence of this
labyrinth meant that individuals would always play a certain
role in society, and obey the king’s wishes at all times (Dowden
and Livingstone 59).
Such places exist because they are meant to instill fear in
people, and restrain them from doing certain things. The
labyrinth, even in modern times, has been used as an expression
to talk of the different situations that individuals often end up
in, and cannot escape no matter how hard they try. It is often
seen as a maze that is full of different challenges that one must
overcome in order to get to the next phase (Dowden and
Livingstone 61). In the case of Theseus, he decides to find a
way to kill the beast and return to the land of the living. This is
where the betrayal by Daedalus comes into play as he gives the
young man a ball of yearn to use to find his way back after
slaying the Minotaur. Theseus kills the beast and returns to get
Ariadne, and they both leave Crete. The king decides to
imprison Daedalus and his son in the labyrinth as punishment,
but he decides to escape, not by land or sea, but by air.
Different places and the situation one is exposed to often bring
out different sides of an individual. In this case, Daedalus
thought it wise to escape the labyrinth for his sake, and his
son’s. Since the land and sea would be guarded, he thought of
the birds and the air, and through his imaginative mind, came up
with the idea of creating wings for himself and his son. By
using twines, wax, and feathers, it was possible for him to build
huge wings that would enable them to defy the laws of gravity.
The place that the two were imprisoned did not deter the
inventor from doing something to help his situation, which goes
to show the will that Daedalus had, even in his dire situation.
Individuals should learn from this to avoid giving up whenever
things go awry. After the completion of the task, Daedalus
decides to test his invention, which turns out to work (Dowden
and Livingstone 64).

5. He gives his son Icarus instructions on how to use the wings;
how high he could go, and how low he could get. These
instructions were just to keep him safe from the scorching sun
and deep sea water. Their escape was made possible through the
skill that had made Daedalus famous, both in Athens and in
Crete. These places had helped shape the man that Daedalus was
and who he had become, which should be testament of what the
environment in which one is exposed to can do to an individual.
The commencement of the journey saw the two men defy
gravity and nature, which was rather exciting for the younger
man, Icarus. The sea is another feature of the island that is
mentioned extensively (Dowden and Livingstone 69). Its
mention brings into focus the threat that both men face in the
escape from the island. It may also be symbolic of the threat
that individuals face everyday whenever trying something new.
As the journey commences, Daedalus ensures that his son knows
of the dangers that the sun and sea pose to both of them. By
flying too close to the sea, the feathers that they used would be
dampened, hence; making them heavy and harder to use as
expected. Also, by flying too close to the sun, the wax would
melt. Unfortunately, Icarus ends up defying or forgetting his
father’s warnings and flies too close to the sun. The wax melts
off and Icarus plunges to his death in the sea. Daedalus cannot
do much to save his son, and with heaviness in his heart, he
looks on as feathers appear on the spot his son fell. As he comes
to terms with the fact that his craft and/or art may have been
responsible for his son’s death, he curses the work of his hands
(Dowden and Livingstone 73). Daedalus had journeyed from
Athens to Crete in search of better things after throwing Talus
from Acropolis, and now his son was dead in the sea. He could
do nothing to even get his son’s body.
He goes on with his journey and finds the island of Sicily. As
Icarus died in the sea, there was not much Daedalus could do,
so he did what he thought would honor the memory of his son.
He named the place the Icarian Sea. To this day, the sea is
referred to by that original name, and an island that was near

6. where the boy fell was also named Icaria (Dowden and
Livingstone 76). Coincidentally, Evdilos, a village in the island,
even has graffiti that depicts a flying man, which might suggest
the flight and fall of Icarus into the sea. Places offer individuals
something to believe in, even if most of what is said may be
doubted and met with suspicion, especially in modern times.
However, as with any stories by other ancient cultures, the
Greek mythologies are meant to tell of different moralizing
lessons to different generations. Also, they are a testament of
how times and places have changed due to the evolution of the
human mind; turning away from nature, and embracing
technology more.
In the different myths told, it is common to hear of different
rituals carried out by the main focus of the myths. In the myth
about Daedalus and Icarus, rituals are also carried out and this
is done by Daedalus upon his arrival to Sicily. He performs
some funeral rituals, and goes on to construct a temple to the
god Apollo (God of Light), where he also hangs the wings that
allowed him escape Crete. His inventions and creativeness
allow him to befriend the king of Sicily (Cocalus), who protects
him even when King Minos comes looking for the inventor. All
the mentioned places in the myth are real places that can be
traced through time to where they existed, and if they still do.
The Icarian Sea, presently, is part of the Aegean Sea (Barnard
and Spencer 83). The connection between myth and place is
symbolic, because without these places, it may be impossible to
have the facts right about the different fables told.
More often than not, the features that are often emphasized in
myths or fables are large water bodies, mountains, islands, and
kingdoms. They help shape what individuals believe in the
fables, because they enable the characters in focus to come into
being. Daedalus was just a man that loved to invent things. This
would ultimately enable him to become famous in ancient
Greece. His talent was nurtured in Athens and flourished in
Crete; places that both understood the value of exceptional
artistry and inventiveness, and they led to the creation of

7. different architectural monuments that, to this day, are referred
to in countless places in Greece (Barnard and Spencer 91). The
fact that the journey did not give Daedalus what he wanted
(happiness), he did get his freedom. This is another way in
which the relationship between a place and a myth can be
characterized in a fable.
Different places should offer individuals the freedom to choose
what they want to do, and how they wish to do it. The
movement of Daedalus from Athens to Crete enabled him to
search and find something different that would help him become
better at what he loved doing. This meant that despite what he
had done, he wished to be better, and not just at his job, but
also as a human being. This is seen when he decides to help the
two lovers, Ariadne and Theseus, escape Crete after the killing
of the Minotaur. Furthermore, he came to comprehend the
nature of having other feelings/emotions such as loss, especially
when he lost his son Icarus to the sea. Before leaving Athens, it
is not made clear what makes him leave; maybe guilt or
banishment, but it is my belief after the loss of his son, he felt
what Talus’ parents may have felt when their son did not return
home.
Myth and place also have another special connection or
relationship. Places act as a distinguishing factor among the
fables present. They describe the nature and culture of the
people in the area, their special traits, and what they do to
satisfy the desires of where they live. The most important thing
that comes out of the places described by the myths is the
culture of the people that exist there at any given time (Barnard
and Spencer 96). Whenever fables or myths are told, there is
often the main character, whose role and tales fascinate and
instill pride in the people that live there and the generations that
follow. The place in which they come from is often associated
with strength, courage, humility, and bravery. These traditions
live on provided the fable gets the attention it deserves, and
provided the generations that follow keep following certain
beliefs.

8. In conclusion, myths and place have a special connection that
may not be entirely brought out whenever myths are told. The
purpose of the myth is to educate and inform people of the
different characteristics and mannerisms of people from
different places, and how they came into being. They are meant
to instill certain traits in people from where the fables emanate,
thus; creating a certain allure and fascination to the place and
the people. It is through maintaining the connection of these
myths that people can keep the place where they originate from
mystical and magical. Furthermore, by making sure this
relationship is maintained, the cultures present can emphasize
that the traditions of the place be maintained so as to appease
the spirits of those that the myths glorify. It is this belief that
keeps these places from fading into obscurity, and maintains a
connection between the gods, humans, and the places they live
and love (Bulloch 1).
Works Cited
Barnard, Alan and Jonathan, Spencer. Encyclopedia of Social
and Cultural Anthropology. Oxford: Oxford University Press,
1996. Print.
Bulloch, Anthony. Home page. Ancient Greek Mythology. Dept.
of Classics, University of California: Berkeley, 2003-2013. <
http://greekmyth.org./>
Dowden, Ken and Niall, Livingstone. A Companion to Greek
Mythology. New York: Macmillan Publishers, 2011. Print.
hs and lnd locatiosologythology.hs and lnd

9. locatiosologythology.
Topic: Myth and place
My essayarticle is about the myth and place, I will discusswrite
some different meanings produced by some of the myths of the
people in the article inside. Dowden and Livingstone 36
questions they will represent the relationship between myth and
origin, as well as exploring a myth represents a place, showing
how life [arises?] on the one hand. There are many purposes of
Greek mythology often cannot be overlooked, people usually
get a lot of mythology from these experiences and lessons
learned. Comment by Renee Fox: You have selected a fine
topic, although many of your ideas are difficult to understand.
When you write your final version, please go to the writing
center before turning the essay in. You need to make sure that
native speakers of English are able to easily understand your
thoughts.
As far as the evidence you discuss, I think that the Daedalus and
Icarus story – or really all of the stories surrounding Daedalus –
are in various ways connected with place. Daedalus is an
Athenian, and he maintains attributes of an Athenian despite the
fact that he moves around repeatedly. He is in Crete, Sicily, etc,
and yet he is always the same crafty figure. Perhaps you could
write an essay staking a claim about Daedalus as an Athenian?
Comment by Renee Fox: which article?
In a different place, local connection between myth and
symbolic, because without these places, it is impossible to have
a correct understanding of the different fables tell people tell
after the fact. In related Daedalus and Icarus myth, the funeral
ceremony chose Daedalus arrived in Sicily after completion.
After the ceremony he continued until the Temple of Apollo
(god of light), his invention and creativity make him befriend
Sicily (Cocalus). Myths and place also have another special

10. connection. InAs the fables location iswhere a significant
factor. They describe people in nature and culture of the area,
and their special features, and what they do, and their desire to
live in what is. Comes out of the place described in mythology,
most importantly, there is culture at any given time (Barnard
and Spencer 96) people.
In the article I selected the Ikunori specifically analyze the
relationship between myth and mythology, as well as local
contact. With the requirements of the site.
Barnard, Alan and Jonathan, Spencer. Encyclopedia of Social
and Cultural Anthropology. Oxford: Oxford University Press,
1996. Print.
Bulloch, Anthony. Home page. Ancient Greek Mythology. Dept.
of Classics, University of California: Berkeley, 2003-2013. <
http://greekmyth.org./>
Dowden, Ken and Niall, Livingstone. A Companion to Greek
Mythology. New York: Macmillan Publishers, 2011. Print.